"I just put my head down and tried to touch first but I'm so pleased with a silver medal. Just to get on the podium, I'm so, so happy. I really, really am."

Henshaw, who swims with Ollie Hynd at Nova Centurion, was fourth in Beijing which has added to her elation in London.

She said: "I think that's (missing out on a medal in Beijing) why I'm so chuffed. I know what it's like to finish just outside the medals and I just really did not want that to happen here in front of everyone.

"I know it's gutting to be just outside the gold medal but I've tried my absolute hardest and I can walk away with my head held high with a silver medal so I'm so happy."

Johnson has had a turbulent few years, capped by moving city and coach from Bath to Manchester in May and having to rely on discretionary selection, along with Henshaw, as the pair failed to negotiate the trials.

She said: "The last four years have been massively eventful and I wouldn't change them and the fact we've had to do those times in such a low class just shows the strength of Paralympic sport and I don't think a silver medal for Charlotte or a bronze medal for me is an overly bad result.

"I've never had a bronze medal so now I've got the full set at the Paralympics."

Louise Watkin rounded off the medals for Britain with silver in the S9 50m freestyle.

The 20 year-old won bronze four years ago and she went into the final as the fastest qualifier.

The City of Salford swimmer was level with Lin Ping coming into the final five metres and it seemed impossible to separate the pair.

However, the Chinese swimmer made the touch first in 29.12, 0.09 ahead of Watkin.